Machines for operating upon shoe soles



Aug. 22, 1961 K. c. J. WEBSTER 2,996,740

MACHINES FOR OPERATING UPON SHOE SOLES Filed April 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invenwr Kenneth C J I Vebster" By his Attorney Aug. 22, 1961 K. c. J. WEBSTER MACHINES FOR OPERATING UPON SHOE SOLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1960 United States Patent 2,996,740 MACHINES FOR OPERATING UPON SHOE SOLES Kenneth Charles Joseph Webster, Leicester, England, as-

signor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 20,886 Claims priority, application Great Britain Apr. 23, 1959 7 Claims. (Cl. 12-88) This invention relates to shoe machinery and more particularly to machines for performing operations, such as edge setting or edge trimming, on the periphery of unattached soles. A machine for performing peripheral sole operations is shown in United States Letters Patent No. 2,459,179, granted January 18, 1949 on an application of Eugene J. Ray. The Ray machine includes a horizontal work table which supports an unattached sole, a rotary tool, such as an edge trimmer or edge setting wheel and a stationary edge guide. The edge of a sole is automatically urged against the edge guide and fed past the tool by a feed wheel which rotates about a substantially horizontal axis slightly above the table. The wheel causes the edge of the sole to be fed against the tool and the edge gage in an oblique direction to its own plane of rotation in what is known as a cross feed. The machine is provided with a holddown roll positioned adjacent the tool to assist in maintaining the sole in engagement with the table and the tool.

Machines predicated upon the Ray invention have been used successfully with most soles until quite recently when difliculty was encountered with soles used on womens modern footwear having sharply pointed toes rather than the heretofore rounded style. It was found that during the trimming operation, as the major portion of the sole was swung rapidly about its pointed toe, which has a small radius of curvature, the toe had a decided tendency to move out of engagement with the tool thereby leaving a portion of the toe not properly trimmed or set.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for operating on unatttached shoe soles having means for slowing the speed at which the toe end of the sole is fed past the operating tool in order that the tool will engage and operate uniformly around the entire sole.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for adapting existing machinery for operation on soles having radically pointed 'toes.

With these objects in mind and as a feature of this invention, applicant has provided friction means in the form of a cantilever leaf spring arranged to engage the sole with progressively increasing force as the pointed toe portion approaches and is operated on by the tool. The spring engages the sole near the heel and presses the sole against the supporting work table thereby exerting a slowing or braking eitect upon the sole reducing the rate of feed. The spring is adjustable and is so arranged relatively to the operating instrumentalities that as the toe portion moves away from engagement with the tool, the sole moves out from. under'the spring whereupon the rate of feed is once more increased and the remaining portion of the sole is trimmed or set in the normal man ner. 1 Cooperating with the holddown spring and the feed mechanism is a holddown roll mounted to engage the sole at all times and to prms it against the work table in an area adjacent the operating tool.

The above and other features of the invention including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular machine embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be em- Patented Aug. 22, I961 ice ployed in varied and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of an edge trimming machine embodying the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

The illustrative machine is a modification of the machine disclosed in the above-identified Ray patent and comprises a rotary operating tool shown as a trimming cutter 2 mounted for rotation about a vertical axis. A work table 5 having a main portion 6 is adjustably mounted on the machine by a bracket 8 secured by screws 10 to the undersurface of the table. The bracket 8 has a tongue (not shown) engaging an arcuate groove 12 in a cooperating bracket 14. Adjustment of the table is obtained by loosening a screw 16 and moving the brackets 8 and 14 relatively to each other in a known manner. Co-plauar with the main portion 6 of the work table is a work table extension 18 and between the main portion of the table and its extension is mounted an adjustable slide 20. The upper surface of the slide is likewise co-planar with the main portion of the work table. The slide rests upon and moves relatively to a support 22 (FIG. 1) secured by screws 24 (only one of which is shown) to the work table 5. A pair of wing nuts 26 are fitted in the slide 20 and extend through a slot 28 in the support 22 permitting, in known manner, longitudinal adjustment of the slide 20 toward and away from the tool 2.

An edge gage 30, or guide roll as it is sometimes called, is mounted at the end of the slide 20 on an adjustable arm 32 fitted in the end of the slide. The arm, and hence the edge gage, are movable about a center 34 for adjustment toward and away from the tool 2 and other operating instrumentalities now to be described.

A wheel 36 is positioned to feed the work against the tool 2, and is mounted on a driven shaft 38 journaled in a bearing housing 40. The housing 40 is yieldable upwardly relatively to the work table 5 about a point, not shown in the drawings, but on the right-hand side of the machine as viewed in FIG. 1. The feed wheel hearing housing 40 is urged downwardly by spring-biased plungers in the manner shown in the Ray patent, the plunger engaging an abutment 42, shown generally in FIG. 2.

I All of the foregoing represents the machine as it ex-' isted prior to its modification in accordance with the present invention. The friction means or means for retarding the speed at which the toe moves or is fed past the tool is a two-part cantilever holddown spring 44 comprising a lower member 46 and an upper member 48 of somewhat shorter length. The spring members are adjustably secured to the lower end of a vertical rod 50. The lower spring member 46 extends to a point where its right-hand end engages the surface of the work table in the area of the slide 20. It is to be noted that the spring is not parallel with the table 5 but is' inclined slightly downwardly from left to right to the point where it forcibly engages the table forming an acute angle therewith. The upper spring member 48 presses down on the lower member 46 at a point spaced from its end to exert a somewhat greater pressure than would be provided by the spring 46 alone. The rod 50 is threaded at its upper end and is adjustably positioned in a bracket 52, adjustment being accomplished by appropriate rotation of lock nuts 54, 56. This adjustment varies the pressure the spring exerts downwardly.

bolt 64 passes through the projection 58 and the slot 62 thereby permitting adjustment of the bracket 52 parallel to the axis of the feed wheel as well as in a rotary direction about the axis of the bolt 64. It will be obvious that with the various adjusting means the spring 44 can be made to assume numerous positions relative to the operating instrumentalities and to bear on the table with various amounts of pressure.

As is frequently employed on machines made in accordance with the Ray patent, a yieldable sole holddown roll 66 is journaled by a stud 68 on the lower end of a rod 70 which slides in a pair of bosses 72, 74 formed on a bracket 76. The rod 70 is urged downwardly relatively to the bracket 76 by a spring 78 compressed between the boss 74 and a collar 80 on the rod 70. T he bracket 76 has a projection 82 which is mounted on a boss 84 forming part of the feed wheel cutter bracket 40, A rectangular head 81 on the rod 70' limits its downward movement as well as prevents its rotation relatively to the bracket 76. The roll bracket 76 is adjustable in both arcuate and linear directions relatively to the feed wheel housing 40, and hence, the other operating instrumentalities, by a conventional slot and screw connection 86, 87 (FIG. 2).

The machine operates in the following manner. A sole is placed on the work supporting table 6 under the holddown roll 66 and under the feed wheel 36 which may be raised against spring pressure by treadle operated means (not shown here but fully described in the aboveidentified Ray patent). The feed wheel, which exerts pressure upon the sole and is power driven about a substantially horizontal axis, imparts a cross feed to advance the sole against the rotary tool while at the same time holding it against the edge gage 30. The direction of feed of the sole is determined by the feed wheel 36, the edge gage 30, and at the crucial time when the toe is being operated on, by the cantilever spring 44. The direction of movement of the portion of the feed wheel which engages the sole is oblique to the direction in which the work is constrained to travel by the edge gage 30 and the tool 2. Because of this obliquity the force exerted on the work piece by the feed wheel may be resolved into two components one of which lies in the direction of feed and the other of which is so directed as to cause the feed wheel to press the work piece against the tool 2 and the edge gage. It is the second component that is often referred to as the component of cross feed.

The sole is presented to the machine so that either'the inside or outside edge portion of the forepart beginning approximately at the point S in FIG. 2 is trimmed first, according to whether a right or left sole is being operated upon. The edge of the forepart is fed toward the cutter followed in turn by the toe, the heel end being swung around the toe in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, as the toe end traverses the cutter. Finally, the other side of the forepart and heel are trimmed. It may be seen that when initially inserted in a machine a sole will not engage the retarding spring 44.

As the toe end of the sole approaches the cutter, the heel end is moving in a counterclockwise direction approaching the point where the holddown spring 46 engages the table. Since this spring is inclined downwardly toward its free end the heel moves under the spring which gradually presses down upon the sole effecting a gradually increasing braking effect upon the sole. It is obvious that appropriate downward adjustment of the spring as well as its arcuate adjustment about the axis of the rod 50 will effect greater or lesser retarding forces. Even with the spring tending to slow the swinging movement of the sole as the apex of the toe is trimmed, the edge moves away from the contact with the gage 30, the entire toe moving to the left as viewed in FIG. 2. At this 2 and the holddown roll 66 which presses the work against the table 6. The holddown roll prevents the toe from moving out of engagement with the rotary tool. At this time the spring is, of course, exerting its maximum force on the heel portion of the sole. It will be appreciated that the actual point of trimming contact between the work and a fixed point on the tool is not constant at the moment the toe is actually being operated upon. When the sole has moved temporarily out of engagement with the gage 30, the point of trimming contact is somewhat to the left of a line passing through the axis of the tool and normal to the axis of the feed wheel. After the toe has been operated upon, the heel portion will have moved sufiiciently to the right, as viewed in FIG. 2, whereupon it slides from beneath the leaf spring 44 and the speed of movement again increases while the side portions of the sole are trimmed. Immediately upon completion of the toe trimming operation, the sole again is moved by the feed wheel into engagement with the edge gage and continues to remain in engagement therewith throughout the remainder of the trimming cycle.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for operating on unattached shoe soles having, in combination, a work table for supporting a sole, a rotary tool for operating on the periphery of the sole, an edge gage, a driven Wheel for feeding the sole to the tool with its edge in contact with the gage, and means engageable with more heelward portions of the sole to retard the feeding movement when the toe portion is being operated on by the tool.

2. A machine for operating on unattached shoe soles having, in combination, a work table for supporting a sole, a rotary tool for operating on the periphery of the sole, an edge gage, a driven wheel for feeding the sole to the tool with its edge in contact with the gage, a holddown roll engageable with the sole to press it against the table, and means engageable with the sole to reduce its rate of feeding movement when the toe portion is being operated upon.

3. A machine for operating on unattached shoe soles having, in combination, a work table for supporting a sole, a rotary tool for operating on the periphery of the sole, an edge gage, a driven wheel for feeding the sole to the tool with its edge in contact with the gage, and 'a cantilever spring engageable with the sole for retarding its feeding movement when the toe portion is being operated on.

4. A machine for operating on unattached shoe soles having, in combination, a work table for supporting a sole, a rotary tool for operating on the periphery of the sole, an edge gage, a driven wheel for feeding the sole to the tool in a swinging movement with its edgein contact with the gage, and a cantilever spring member extending downwardly into engagement with the work table and forming an acute angle therewith, said spring member being engageable with the sole for progressively applying pressure to more heelward portions of the sole as the toe portion is being operated upon thereby to reduce the swinging movement of the sole relatively to said tool.

5. A machine for operating on unattached shoe soles having, in combination, a work table for supporting a sole, a rotary tool for operating on the periphery of the sole, an edge gage, a driven wheel, a bearing housing mounting said wheel for rotation for feeding the sole to the operating tool with its edge in contact with the gage, a cantilever spring, and an adjustable bracket on said housing mounting said spring with its free end yieldingly in engagement with the work table to retard the movement of the sole.

6. A machine for operating on unattached shoe soles having, in combinatiom-a worktable for supporting a sole, a rotary tool for operating on the periphery of the; sole, an edge gage, a dri-ven wheel, a holddown roll engageable with the sole to press it against the table, a bearing housing mounting said wheel for rotation for feeding the sole to the operating tool with its edge in contact with the gage, a first bracket adjustably mounted on said housing mounting the holddown roll for yieldable vertical movement, a cantilever spring, and a second bracket on said housing adjustably mounting the cantilever spring with its free end yieldingly in engagement with the work table.

7. A machine for operating on unattached shoe soles having, in combination, a work table for supporting a sole, a rotary tool for operating on the periphery of the sole, an edge gage, a driven wheel for feeding the sole to the tool With its edge in contact with the gage, a cantilever spring the free end of which engagm said table, a vertical rod, said spring being mounted at the lower end of the rod for adjustment about a vertical axis, a bracket mounting said rod for heightwise adjustment for varying the 'force with which the spring engages the work table, and means for adjusting said mounting bracket relatively to the machine to vary the position of said rod and hence 10 the spring relatively to the operating tool.

No references cited. 

